ebert



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. EBERT.

MAIL BAG.

(No Model.)

Patented Apr. 22, '1884.

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2 Sheets-Sheet J. EBERT.

(No Model.)

MAIL BAG.

No. 297,359. Patented Apr."22,1884.

N. PHERS Pmvmhugnpmr, wn

' UNTTED STATES PATENT @rrrea JOHN EBERT, OF FREDERICK, MARYLAND.

MAIL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,359, dated April 22, 1884:.

Application filed March 24, 1884. (No model.)'

To @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN EBERT, of Frederick, in the county of Frederick and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mail-Bags; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description of the same.

lWIy invention is an improved fastening for mail bags and pouches designed forlike uses. It is of that class in which a series of staples setin one side or part of the bag passes through the other part, and is held by aseries of bolts adapted to be drawn simultaneously through the staples.

The object of my invention is to secure simplicity of construction, to provide for effectually closing the mouth of the bag, and to so construct and arrange the parts that the bag will automatically remain open when hung up for lling. I secure these results by the details of construction, all of which are fully set forth hereinafter, and are shown in the accompanying drawings, in whichp Figure l represents a front view of the fast-- ening. Fig. 2 shows a section on line x x of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective view, showing more clearly the locking devices 5 and Fig. 4L represents the bag hanging ready for filling.

lhe staples a are set in plates b, or otherwise secured to the flap B of the bag, instead of being secured to the front of the bag, as shown heretofore. The Hap B is attached to the rear of the bag, as shown in Fig. 4, a little below the mouth. Both in-the front and rear the bag has a line of holes, da, through which the staples pass when the flap is brought up to cover the mouth. The locking-bolts are all attached to the flap across it near the end, and in line parallel with the line of staples, the space between the line of staples and that of the locking-bolts being sufficient to allow the liap to be bent easily over the mouth of the bag.

Fig. 2 represents the bag in closed. position. It shows the liap at B and B, and the rear and front of the bag inclosed between the folded iap. The rear is marked e and the frontf. The fastening-bolts are secured to-the flap by means of plates g and straps l1', fixed thereon. The straps lie across the plates, and both straps and plates are slotted to admit the staples. The locking-plates 7c slide in the straps, being slotted, as shown atl l, to passthe legs of the staples. Fach bolt Z is fixed to or formed as part of the strap,and is adapted to slide through the staple and lodge in the corrugation 3 in the strap. rIhe plates k are secured to each other by hinge-connections. The plates g are separated from each other by spaces equal to the movement of the bolts in locking and unlocking. The hinges of thelocking-plates are arranged to move in these spaces from the edge of one to the adjacent edge of another, and thus the flexibility of the bag is not interfered with. I may add plates g between the plates g,leaving spaces 4,0ver which the hinges stand when the bolts are thrown either back or forward.

It will be observed that this construction,'

while it locks each staple by means ot' a bolt and strap, leaves sufficient flexibility in the Hap and bag. Further, each staple is independently locked, and passes entirely through the bag, elampingit from side to side, so that if a single staple should fail the bag cannot be opened. Nor can the staples or locking-bolts be released by bending the bag. I provide a ring, D, in the end of the last plate, 7c, so that all the bolts may be drawn in or pushed out by t-he hand grasping the ring. A hasp, E, having a spur, m, is hinged on the llap in position to lie across the end of the last plate,k, with the spur m in a hole, n, in the plate. The strap engages with a staple, 5, and may be secured thereto by an ordinary padlock.

Vhen the bag is to be tllled,theflap is thrown back, as shown in Fig. ll, the bag being held by a hook7 6. The bag has no fastening de.- vices upon it other than those on the flap, and therefore freely opens, and the weight of the iap tends to hold itin that position.

I do not limit myself to t-he precise form of the fastening devices, so long as these devices are all attached to the tlap,in which the main part of my invention consists. For example, studs having large heads might be substituted for the staples, slots and holes in the plates taking the place of the tongues; but I do not claim, broadly, the fastening of mail or other bags by means of a series of fastening projections and locking sliding plates, that being shown in the patent of Perry of May 23,1848;

nor do I claim a tag-holding plate; but the tag or label may be held in the hasp E.

IOO

1. In combination with a mail or like bag having a series of holes near its mouth, aflap having a series of staples adapted to pass through the holes in the bag, and a series of lockingfbolts, the staples and bolts being se cured to the flap,all substantially as described.

2. In combination, the bag having a series of holes near its mouth, the flap attached to the bag below the series of holes, the staples, the plates g, and straps h, and the loc-kingplates having bolts adapted to engage with the staples and straps, all secured to the flap, all substantially as described.

3. The plates g, having straps 71 the plates being attached to the flap, with spaces between equaling the length of movement of the locking-plates, and the hinged locking-plates, the hinges being placed in the spaces between said plates,al1 these parts being combined with the staples and bag, substantially as described.

4. In combination with theV series of c onnected locking-plates, and the straps h, and plates g, and with the staples, all secured to the flap, the locking-hasp and its staple, all substantially as described.

5. Inl combination with a mail or like bag having a series of holes near its mouth, a Hap attached to the bag below the series of holes, a line of staples attached to the flap, and a flexibly-connected series of locking-plates, also attached to the ilap, said locking-plates being adapted to `slide longitudinally in engaging with the staples, all substantial] y as described.

In testimony whereof` I have signed my name 55 to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN EBERT.

Witnesses:

L. C. YOUNG, F. L. MIDDLETON. 

